BOROUGH PETTY SESSIONS

Wednesday, March 22

Present - The Mayor, T. W. Kent, Esq., the chair, and J. T. Lipscomb, Esq

THROWING STONES

Three boys names Samuel Dunham, George Franklin and George Massey, were, under the bye laws, charged by Miss Faith Owen, of Fishpool Street, with throwing stones in the street on the 16th of March.

The defendants pleaded Not Guilty.

Miss Faith Owen: On the 16th of March some boys were throwing stones at my door, and when I came out and opened the door they threw them at me. It was in Fishpool Street, in Abbey Parish. I saw the three defendants now present all standing together in the street in front of my door. It was about a quarter or twenty minutes past nine at night. Several of the neighbours have complained of the boys throwing stones.

By Franklin: I saw you there at a quarter past nine.

The complainant said the boys had been carrying on a regular system of annoyance for the last four months. Dunham was the ring-leader. There were twenty other boys lower down the street.

Elizabeth Franklin, the mother of one of the defendants, said her son was at home at nine o'clock on Thursday evening and did not go out afterwards.

William Massey, uncle to the defendant, said George Massey was assisting him in shutting out the horses at the Great Red Lion, at nine o'clock, and they then went home together to supper and stopped till past ten o'clock. The defendant was not away from him all the time.

The case stood over for a short time in order that a witness, for whom Mrs. Dunham had sent, might be examined.

Mr. Annesley afterwards came into court and said Miss Owen now wished him to appear for her; but it was then too late to do anything for her.

A boy named Stephen Nash was examined as a witness. He said he was standing in the road and neither saw Dunham nor anyone else throwing stones; but that was between eight and nine o'clock, so his evidence went for nothing.

Franklin and Massey were discharged with a caution, and the case against Dunham was withdrawn by consent on payment of a portion of the expenses.